Puri : With world famous Chariot festival just held with high devotional spirits at Puri On the sideline security forces took charge to make the event hassle free. In a remarkable display of coordination and alertness, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) jointly averted a potential stampede situation at Puri Railway Station on the day of Ratha Yatra. The Railway authorities have expressed deep gratitude to both forces for their herculean efforts in managing an extremely challenging situation.
On the day of the Ratha Yatra, an unprecedented crowd gathered in Puri. Lakhs of devotees had congregated on the Grand Road to witness the divine sight of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra, and to participate in the ritual of pulling their sacred chariots.
Simultaneously, Puri Railway Station also witnessed a massive influx of people. As soon as the chariots came to a halt on the Grand Road, thousands of devotees began rushing towards the railway station to board their return trains. This led to a sudden and overwhelming surge in footfall, creating a stampede-like situation in and around the station premises.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, senior officials of GRP and RPF swiftly revised their force deployment strategies. Their timely action ensured that the situation remained under control, and no stampede or casualties occurred.
Human chains were promptly formed using ropes at all key entry points, including the main gate of the railway station, station building entrance, concourse area, and platform, to regulate crowd movement in a phased and cascading manner. Quick Reaction Teams deployed at strategic locations were immediately activated, and additional reserve manpower was dispatched to high-density areas.
At the peak of the crisis, zig-zag cordons were established inside the station building using ropes to manage the flow of people. Special efforts were made to protect vulnerable groups, especially old people, women and children.
Due to the extreme crowd pressure, a few individuals fainted. These passengers were promptly rescued by GRP and ODRAF teams, administered first aid on-site, and later assisted in boarding their respective trains. There were no major injuries or casualties. Most of the affected individuals were treated at the railway station itself and they boarded their trains after gaining strength.
In addition to crowd control, GRP and RPF, in coordination with Railway officials, ensured smooth and timely movement of trains. Based on real-time assessments, additional trains were requested and arranged to cater to the rush.
Shri Arun Bothra, IPS, ADG, Railways and Coastal Security, along with Shri Vivekanand Sharma, IPS, SP Railways, Cuttack, personally supervised the operations till late night. From the RPF side, Shri Alok Bohra, PCSC, East Coast Railway, and Shri Mithun Soni, Sr. DSC, Khurda Road Division, oversaw the security arrangements.
Later, Shri Bothra thanked the RPF authorities and officers and personnel of the GRP for rising to the occasion and ensuring a zero-casualty, incident-free operation at Puri Railway Station.
Shri H.S. Bajwa, DRM, Khurda Road Division, also visited the site and extended his appreciation to GRP and RPF officers. He conveyed gratitude on behalf of the Railway authorities for their exemplary service and crisis management by GRP and RPF.
